Even Angels Fall - Pt 2
by Ashlin
Summary: After hardtimes, Pacey and Joey find that they need friendship more than one night stands...


_On My Mind - Part two of Even Angels Fall_

~_One week later_~

    Dawson Leery stood behind the register at Capeside Foods. The daily crowd had already merged their way through the checkout lines. One of the regulars, an old woman possibly one of Grams' church friends, had wondered in an hour earlier. 

    She madly claimed to have left her purse in the produce section of the store. Dawson, having little patience with any Capeside residence anymore, had escorted her to the door, suggesting maybe she never had a purse to start out with. Another victim of ragged abuse from a Leery, that was sure to be back. But today it didn't matter. His shift ended in...he checked his watch... 

    "Thirty minutes," he mumbled. He rubbed his hands together, keeping them warm. Being it December, one could expect it to be cold. But with no heater it was even worse. Mr. Strohshine, the store manager, refused to heat the small grocery market. 'Why bother,' he'd say. After all, he didn't have to stay in the store. No, He had his own office right next door that was probably in the seventy's right now. 

    "Um, Excuse me?" A familiar blonde waved her hand infront of Dawson's face. "Dawson...come back to Capeside." He snapped from his short reverie and gave Jen a forced smile. She gave it back. "Thinking about Spielburg again?"

    He shook his head, "Just about how 'unshiney' Mr. Strohshine is."

    Jen gave him a sympathetic pout and started to unload her cart. "Did you hear about Pacey...?"

    Dawson nodded. "It'll be good for him...getting out of Capeside."

    She sighed, "I guess. I still can't believe it though. He's doing the same thing J--" She stopped abruptly, as if her words would cause him pain. He scanned her items, his expression blank. Maybe he was over her...She went on. "--Joey did."

    Even though he was looking at her carton of, most likely expired, milk...she could see his expression. Pain. Ok, maybe he wasn't over her.

    "Sorry," she whispered. "Oh God, I'm really sorry...Look I'll just--"

    "--No..it's alright. Really. I never saw it coming I guess. Ironic isn't it? My two best friends, both went to New York after breaking up with their significant others. And hey, maybe they'll shack it up a couple times and we can be the weeping ex's at their wedding, and then--"

    "Dawson...First of all, I never went out with Pacey, so I'm not an ex." He nodded and began to throw Jen's items into a paper bag. "Second, Joey and Pacey hate each other."

    "True." He ignored her second comment. "So you can be the weeping friend, who always had a desire for him and nev--"

    "No...Dawson, They.." 

    "Ok, the weeping--"

    Jen was getting impatient. She sighed, and cut him off. "Why am **I** crying in all of these synopsis' Dawson? I'm not the one who needs to and neither do you. If they get together so be it. She left you. At the alter no less! Don't you think you deserve better? Move on Dawson. Joey has." With that Jen grabbed her bag of food and stalked out.

_

~'~'~

_

    Eve Whitman searched her bare jean pockets with freezing hands. The night was cold, like every night in Capeside. So cold, that little puffs of smoke emerged from her nose with every breath. Her bleached blonde hair swayed in the wind as she made her way down the quiet street. Local church bells rang, signifying the end of another Monday night service. It was nine o'clock.

    Eve let an exhausted sigh slip out from her parched lips. Lately, church bells and rush hour traffic, or what could be called traffic in Capeside, was her only way of telling time. It mattered little anyway, time passed quickly and was irrelevant to a person like her.

    She rounded the corner, exchanging glances with a passing older man carrying a small dog. He smiled and mumbled joy-filled gibberish to the mutt, who seemed to understand. Eve guessed whatever they were saying...it was about her. 

    'Since when does that matter to you,' Voices echoed throughout her head, and she remembered what she already knew--it didn't matter at all.

    She walked a bit more, the streetlights illuminating her way. A payphone lay at the end of the block, pleading with her to be smart and put it to good use. She thought about it, what harm would the call do? Only erase her mysterious profile she'd kept for over ten years. She worked so hard to maintain it, even events like this wouldn't allow her to throw away so many skilled years. Besides, then he would want her number again. What number would she give him? She'd have to explain that she didn't have a phone...nor a place to keep one for that matter.

_ And I forgot  
to tell you I love you,   
and the night's too long and  
cold here without you.   
I grieve in my condition  
for I cannot find the strength  
to say I need you so _

    Andie sat quietly staring into the bathroom mirror, hating what she saw. Her once perfect blonde hair was wicked. Full of tangles and who knew what else. Her eyes, bloodshot. Their original sparkle had left long ago, the only color they held was the dark circles from sleepless nights below them.

    He should have never forgiven her. If he hadn't, maybe they both would have moved on and been happy. But it didn't matter now. He _had_ forgiven her, and eventually taken her back. Yet-She did it again. She caused him pain once more, as if the first time wasn't enough.

    And what did her extravaganza's accomplish? A life of misunderstanding and confusion? No, it was worse than that. They had caused him to hold pure hatred towards her. Something she didn't know how to handle. 

    Three weeks ago, when she'd told him she wanted a divorce, he hadn't said a word. Just walked out. He'd called the next day, asking questions. Why? How? When?...She explained everything and the only forgiveness she'd received was none at all. The next time she saw him, they were divorced.

    The man who'd stolen her love away this time was named Jade. She'd met him through an old friend from Rhode Island. A friend she had known back in the day. For unknown reasons, Jade was in Capeside for a short period of time, and he couldn't stress _short_ enough. He stayed for a week, and the three unexplainable nights they'd spent together caused her to be where she was now. Jade was the center of her problem, but he didn't stick around long enough to see the consequences. The whole event was like Marc all over again. She knew it was wrong, yet continued to do it anyway.

    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't convince Pacey that it was because he didn't satisfy her. Lord how he satisfied her. Truth to be told, she didn't exactly know why she'd done it. But she had, and it couldn't be taken back.

    Andie closed her eyes, remembering when the love between Pacey and her was true. Remembering, when the only thing she worried about was not passing high school with straight A's, when the only thing she ever needed was him. 

    With closed eyes, she realized how much she still loved him. Andie held her forehead in the palms of her hands, collapsing against the wall. Unconsciously, she let her tears fall. 

_ Tell me what to do  
I ain't trippin' over you  
Any other time  
Remember I'm gonna be fine_

    The busy streets of New York called to him like a million dollars. It was an opportunity for everything he'd ever wanted before meeting Andie. A great job, women, money, women, a chance to get out of Capeside, and finally women. What better a way to heal a broken heart.

    Pacey raked a hand through his raven hair and smiled suspiciously, catching a glimpse of his first victim. She was medium height, long legs, slim figure...the ideal of every mans fantasy. And she wasn't a blond, definitely a good thing right now.

    Everything he'd even known of self restraint was pushed out of his mind as he walked over to be introduced. "Hi," He mumbled under his breath, crossing the street. Halfway to her. "I'm Pacey Witter." Few more steps. She caught sight of him, gave a disapproving frown, and walked further away. He sighed, "And I'll be your _idiot_ for this evening." He turned around and started walking the way he'd came. Maybe he wasn't ready for the women of New York yet.

    "Or maybe, they're not ready for me." He boasted, catching the attention of a fairly attractive nearby woman in her late thirty's. She tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a folded piece of green paper.

    "Did they abduct you too?" She whispered. Deciding to play along, Pacey nodded. 

    "They sent me back, they weren't ready for my kind." The lady gave him a confused look and slowly nodded. 

    "I see. Well you read up on that and come join our group. You hear?"

    It was Pacey's turn to nod as the older women made her way through the crowd, handing brochure's to whoever looked like an 'abductee' to her. He smiled, threw the paper in a garbage can at the end of the cross walk. _ I always did have the connection with older women._

_I know it might sound strange  
But I pictured us alone,  
and you're kissing me in ways I can't tell.  
If my thoughts of you are true,  
Then I wanna get with you._

    Joey laughed as she watched a man get turned down by Kerissa, a girl she knew vaguely from one of the bars she went to. He spoke to himself, until the 'abducted' lady that she'd encountered her first day in New York came up to him and gave him a brochure. He looked puzzled, as if he'd never been handed a piece of paper. She scoffed and took another drag of her cigarette. 

    He was coming her way, not purposely, he probably didn't even notice her. Not that she wasn't noticeable. Her black flares and red tube top with a black satin jacket over it were anything but. However not too many people paid attention to others in the daylight. Night time was when the real New York came out of its shell. The day was reserved for rushing business men, with prepositions for their competitions that Joey didn't even understand.

    She aimed a seductive smile at the man, trying to grab his attention. He turned the other way, not catching her glance, yet continued to look around. She watched as his eyes caught the corner coffee shop and began to follow him in.

    A coffee café wasn't her normal shindig, but for some reason, her mind wouldn't let this one get away. 


End file.
